100 years of Miles and Coltrane: Live at West Side Jazz

Pianist Joe Hill has brought together a classy jazz quintet to celebrate the centenary of the births of both Miles Davis and John Coltrane.

With Luke Vice-Coles (trumpet) and Tom Smith (tenor sax) channeling their inner Davis and Coltrane, the evening included a selection of tunes representing some of the most groundbreaking jazz of the late 1950s and early 1960s.

Alongside Luke and Tom were Joe Hill (piano), Mirko Scarcia (bass) and West Side Jazz impresario Dave Tandy (drums). 

Just as in the originals, these tunes range from fiendishly difficult and virtuosic to the simply beautiful. The quintet’s version of If I Were a Bell was a great rendition of the Loesser tune made into a jazz standard on the 1958 album Relaxin’ with the Miles Davis Quintet.

Similarly great performances came on My Funny Valentine and the marvellous Airegin in the first set. Opening the second set with Four and then the classic Milestones was great programming for an audience that was clearly appreciative of the Davis/Coltrane approach.

Particularly outstanding were this quintet’s interpretations of All Blues and Someday My Prince Will Come. 

One of the best features of this evening of fine jazz was the way the musicians shared musical ideas and referenced themes and licks directly from the originals. There was genuine collaboration between these impressive players. 

Get your tickets now for more great music from the West Side Jazz Orchestra (4 November)